Chapter 198: Chapter 199

Chapter 0199 Ella POV Alexander knew exactly what he was doing to me–the closeness of his body, the heat radiating from his workout, and the effortless way he carried himself. There was no way my reaction was unexpected, and I refused to let him see just how much he was affecting me.

Without overthinking, I placed both of my hands against his chest. The contact drew a startled sound from him, and for a moment, a heated look flickered in his eyes.

My pulse raced, but before I could give in to the pull between us, I shoved hard, sending him splashing backward into the water.

What I didn’t anticipate was his lightning–fast reflexes. His hands shot out, grabbing my waist as he fell, and I let out a yelp of surprise as we both plunged into the pool.

When I resurfaced, water streaming down my face, I couldn’t stop the helpless giggles that bubbled up.

Alexander didn’t let me enjoy the moment for long. He reached for my leg and tugged, sending me crashing back under the water with a startled squeal.

I emerged again, spluttering and pushing my hair out of my face, only to see him grinning victoriously, his Maughter rich and unapologetic.

“This is a side of you I haven’t seen,” I commented, trying to sound composed despite the flush spreading across my cheeks.

He smirked, his voice low and amused. “I could say the same to you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you be playful before.”

“I suppose we really are getting to know each other,” I said, offering a small smile. “It’s only natural after so long.

11 “I suppose that’s true,” Alexander replied, though his expression turned slightly guarded.

Sensing the shift, I decided to steer the conversation away from anything that might become awkward. “So, tomorrow morning, we’re going to the castle?”

“That’s right,” he confirmed. “I’ve spoken to Topher, and everything’s ready for the visit. He seemed quite excited about showing you around.”

“That’s kind of him.”

Alexander’s expression soured slightly. “I suppose so.”

“You told me that you and Christopher used to be friends. Did something happen between the two of you? Did you have a fight or something? You don’t seem all that thrilled to have his help.”

“It’s nothing quite so dramatic,” Alexander said, his tone measured. “Topher and I were friends when we were young, but... there are areas where I feel he hasn’t matured since then. I don’t know if you’ve noticed—or if you’ve chosen to ignore it but he’s been quite flirtatious with you. And I want to warn you, that’s likely going to continue.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Why would he be flirting with your fiancée?”

“To get under my skin,” Alexander answered, his tone tinged with irritation, as if it were obvious. “He enjoys bothering me. He finds it amusing to get a rise out of people.”

1/2 +25 BONUS Chapter 0199 “I see.” I nodded thoughtfully. “Well, thank you for the warning. I’ll make sure to stay on guard around him tomorrow. I wouldn’t want him getting the wrong idea.”

Alexander’s expression softened, and he looked almost relieved. “It shouldn’t take too long, which is good, because we’ve got plenty of other things to sort out for the wedding. I can’t believe it’s coming up so soon.”

“You’re the one who wanted an early winter date,” I reminded him with a playful raise of my brow.

“Even so, it still feels like it’s snuck up on me,” he admitted. “After you texted me last night, I called my mother. She’s excited about the dress shopping trip. I’ve made all the arrangements for you to go on Monday.”

“That’s quite soon,” I murmured, though I wasn’t entirely surprised. Alexander was right, we were running out of time.

“It won’t take too long, I’m sure,” Alexander said, offering me a reassuring smile. “You’ve already been through this once. I imagine you have some idea of what you want.”

“I’m sure it’ll be pleasant,” I replied, though my tone lacked conviction. “There’s no need to worry about that.”

I still didn’t feel right telling him about what Diana had said to me. It wasn’t my place to interfere in his relationship with his mother. But deep down, I knew that if she crossed a line again, I’d have no choice but to tell him the truth.